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WALABA (Eperua spp)
Trade Name
Walaba
Scientific Name
Eperua spp.
Family
LEGUMINOSAE
Common Names
Copaíba-Clara (Brazil); Wallaba; Wapa; Espadeira (Brazil); Eperu (Brazil); Bainha De Espada (Brazil); Gebaru; Wallaba; Walaba; Uapa Tabaco; Palo Machete; Jebaro; Itusi Wallaba; Epeau; Bijlhout; Apazeiro (Brazil); Apa (Brazil); Wouapa; Woapa; Wapa Huileux; Wapa Patouve; Wapa Gras; Wapa; Soft Wallaba
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
The trees are reported to reach heights of 30 m, with trunk diameters ranging from 45 to 70 cm. They develop well-formed and cylindrical boles that are 15 to 20 m long.
Natural Habitat
Eperua trees are gregarious and dominant. They prefer acidic sandy soils in creek valleys and high savanna forests.
Natural Distribution
The geographical range for this genus is the Guyanas and the northern Brazilian Amazon basin.
Non Timber Uses
resin canals in line, with important exudations
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Vessels solitary and in short radial multiples. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 150 to 200 micras (medium). Vessels per mm2 6 to 10 (medium). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits in size and shape. Int Paratracheal axial parenchyma thin vasicentric. Prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/or in fibers. 3 to 4 cells per parenchyma strand. Axial parenchyma bands more than 3 cells wide. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays 1 to 4 seriate. Heterogeneous rays and/or multiseriate heterogeneous rays. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The color of the heartwood is commonly red brown, with darker resinous markings.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
3
Grain
The grain is frequently straight.
Texture
Texture is described as medium.
Natural Durability
It is very durable against decay. This species is very resistant against termites and it is not attacked by Lyctus.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
1
Internal Growth Stresses
Growth stresses present in the tree may cause the log to burst on the butt.
Resistance To Impregnation
This timber is reported to respond poorly to preservative treatment.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.75
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.85
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
6.8
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
2.2
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
UK-B; US-T2-C2
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
3.1
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
1533
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
154600
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
715
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
87
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
98
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
862
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
753
Workability
Sawing
Resin present in wood may clog the saw-teeth
Blunting Effect
The wood has a moderate blunting effect.
Planing
Planing operations are not difficult if dry wood is processed (limited resin exudation ).
Nailing
Good nail-holding, but pre-boring is necessary.
Gluing
This species is easy to glue.
Polishing
Polishing can give satisfactory results after suitable sanding and filling.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
EXTERIOR GENERAL, crossties, HOUSING GENERAL, boards, flooring, steps, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, CONTAINERS, cooperage, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts, shingle
Exterior General
- 1 - Tabela de resultados de ensaios fisicos e mecanicos
Crossties
- 8 - Maderas latinoamericas. III, Podocarpus standleyi ,Podocarpus oleifolius, Drims granadensis, Magnolia poasana y Didymopanax pittieri
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Boards
- 13 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section III. Latin American (Mexico, Central, and South America) Woods–Conventional Temperatures
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Steps
- 17 - Tree Conservation Database
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Containers
- 50 - Properties of imported tropical woods
Cooperage
- 51 - Recopilacion de propiedades mecanicas de maderas creciendo en Chile
Shipbuilding
- 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Handcraft
- 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)
Shingles
- 77 - Amazonian Timbers, Characteristics and Utilization Volume I; Tapajós National Forest
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